SoCal Target Worker’s Petition Against Thanksgiving Hours Goes Viral

CORONA (CBSLA.com) — We’ve all heard of black Friday, but this year, Target stores are opening their doors at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

Next week’s early sale has Casey St. Clair, a part-time employee of six years, seeing red.

“So, when I first started, the first Black Friday opened at 5 a.m. on Friday. That was actually a Black Friday. Then it went to 4 a.m. And then it went to midnight. Now, it’s Black Thursday because they’re open on Thanksgiving Day,” she says.

St. Clair, a Corona resident, started an online petition that has gone global to push back against the retail giant.

She’s challenging the fact that employees are required to work on Thanksgiving. Since its launch last Friday, the petition has grown with well over 200,000 supporters at change.org.

“I want to keep Thanksgiving a day where the stores are closed and everyone gets to spend the day with their families,” she says.

A Target spokesperson released the following statement:

“Target’s opening time was carefully evaluated with our guests, team and business in mind. Across the country, team member preferences were considered in creating store staffing schedules.”

In addition to her job at Target, St. Clair works as a substitute English teacher. She says she hasn’t spoken to Target management directly about her petition and that her co-workers have been supportive of it.

“I’m not looking to get fired,” she says. “Even though I know in the back of my head that’s something that could happen.”

Daniel Torres, who was laid off from his post at Target a month ago, says he wishes he could work on the holiday.

“I would like to work in there for Thanksgiving. It doesn’t matter,” he says.